SO SO Close..

[Dave Bowers]

I've been hunting with my recurve pretty steady now and have had several encounters so far. But yesterday evening was by far the closest opportunity I've had so far.
 Hunting on the ground with a recurve brings things to a whole new level in my opinion. I had seen several deer while hunting yesterday, but none gave me an opportunity for any shots. At last light I decided to move to a big ol blow down tree and hide behind the up turned roots. So I took a seat and watched for any deer coming my way. I was getting ready to head out and I caught a deer coming my way. At first I was hesitant, figuring she was just gonna go past me outa my range. But she started heading right for my position by the old tree. I got ready and by now she was only 15 yards from me behind a large brier patch. She had no idea I was there and was completely relaxed. I kept an eye on her hoping she would take four more steps to get past the briers. But instead of taking those steps toward my direction, she angled off away from me. She was just too far outa my comfortable range :-\\  I had thought about trying a shot, but quickly came to my senses and realized it would be a mistake.
Even though I wasn't able to kill her it was a great hunt and I am looking forward to getting out there on Thursday morning before Turkey dinner.  

[FerretWYO]

Even though I wasn't able to kill her it was a great hunt and I am looking forward to getting out there on Thursday morning before Turkey dinner.  

This line tells me that you are in for the right reasons. Cool story thanks for sharing.

[vernon]

That's Awesome!  That's why we hunt with a stick and string is to get close and actually enjoy all aspects of the hunt.  All of my friends hunt with compounds and they measure the success of the hunt by the inches of horn or by the number of kills.  I cannot count the number of times I've had the same scenario played out in front of me.  It bugs my compound buddies when I tell them I had a monster bull/buck come in but just wasn't comfortable with the shot or the range.  These guys will shot almost any distant with their wheels instead of letting an animal walk by.  Some of the greatest moments I've ever had in the woods/mountains have come about becuase I hunt with a stick and string!  Keep up the good work and keep measuring success teh way you are.  I will also be in my treestand tomorrow morning and will have a hard time sleeping tonight.

thanks for the story--kick ass,

[Keefer]

Dave, The property I hunt has over 8 nice blownover Oaks that fell from the ajoining property being logged...That seems to be a good bedding area for deer now with lots of pines that are six feet tall or so....I've noticed the deer really hang close to these blow downs and head for water at the crater left from the roots.A good friend took an eight point in 2007 where he hung a stand near the blown over oaks and I hunted a newer blow down within 20 yards of where he scored lastyear and I had a 5/6 yard shot on a six point this year...I passed up a doe and a wide spike and about two minutes later I had this six pt. come directly in front of this blow down and I SCORED....The deer stick  close to these blow downs and set up right you have a great ground blind....I always look when a new blow down is available near a funnel from the bedding areas  to the deer frigerater and I take advantage of them and no need for a safety harness and very exciting being EYE level with the deer....God Bless, Keefers <")))><

[Keefer]

Dave, I never really got to the point I was making ..I went on a rabbit trail but in my opinion those root balls and blown over trees make a great setup for bowhunting on the ground from my expierence...Keefers <")))><  :D

[Pat B]

The way I look at it is if you can get that close to a deer, in its own back yard and it doesn't know you are there, you have won the game. Maybe you didn't get to take the prize home but the satisfaction is pretty rewarding in itself.     Pat

[Dave Bowers]

Thanks guys I had a great time. To top it off, when I was making my way back to my car. There were two small buck out in the field eyeballing my.

Keefer..I was pickin up what you were layin down   :D    

[Stinger]

Quite a feeling on the ground isn't it?  Last Friday I tried hunting from a ground blind made of piled up pine boughs.  I had a similar occuremce as you.  I had one come in from the side and then behind me.  I passed a 23 yard shot because I thought it was too far.  About 20 min later and 15 min before sunset I see a deer about 30 yds off when all of a sudden the fabric on the old dove stool I'm sitting on decides to give out and I go crashing to the ground.  It took every fibre in my body not to laugh out loud.  Anyway, I slowly pulled myself together and decided I could kneel for the last 40 minutes.  Not 5 minutes later I see portions of a deer not 15 feet from the blind.  I'm not moving a muscle and can't tell whether it is buck or doe, but it is headed my way and should pass my window at less than 6 feet.  At 10 -12 feet it must have winded me as the flag suddenly went up and it ran off.  It was pretty exciting.